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Denominations are just labels for people with various doctrinal beliefs.
If you call yourself non-denonominational, you still have doctrinal beliefs of some kind.
Those doctrinal beliefs you hold will still line up with one denomination or another.
So even if you don't want a denominational label,
you will still have doctrinal beliefs similar to at least one denomination,
and thus you are, in essence, still the same as they are.
Good or bad, that's just how it is.
I think people worry too much about this stuff.
If you call yourself non-denonominational, you still have doctrinal beliefs of some kind.
Those doctrinal beliefs you hold will still line up with one denomination or another.
So even if you don't want a denominational label,
you will still have doctrinal beliefs similar to at least one denomination,
and thus you are, in essence, still the same as they are.
Good or bad, that's just how it is.
I think people worry too much about this stuff.
Different people form doctrines to interpret the Bible differently. That is what denominations are about. In the end, we are all Christians. However, I would much rather worship in a church where I agree with the worship, the preaching and I feel comfortable being around people who have the same beliefs and focuses that I do.
Personally, I think evangelism is one of the most important things we can do as Christians, and I have always been in one church or another where that is the focus. That was Jesus last command, so we really do need to obey the Great Commission, and be in a church where that matters.
Personally, I think evangelism is one of the most important things we can do as Christians, and I have always been in one church or another where that is the focus. That was Jesus last command, so we really do need to obey the Great Commission, and be in a church where that matters.
M
[h=3]Romans 16:17[/h]
[SUP]17 [/SUP]Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
It's a great question. The answer is: Don't ever tell anyone you belong to a "denomination." If you are a Christian the only thing you belong to is Jesus Christ.
The people who spend their time arguing over "doctrine" are wasting their breathe when they could be spreading the news of the way, the truth and the life.
[SUP]17 [/SUP]Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
It's a great question. The answer is: Don't ever tell anyone you belong to a "denomination." If you are a Christian the only thing you belong to is Jesus Christ.
The people who spend their time arguing over "doctrine" are wasting their breathe when they could be spreading the news of the way, the truth and the life.
K
God's love and power are too big for us to see all at once. So most of us join with people who are seeing the same piece of His love and power as we are seeing right now, at this point in our lives. This was more important before education and communication grew to what they are today. In those days, people were lucky if they ever saw any more than a little bit of God compared to what we see now.
Much of the reason may be in the following from the Master:
Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Mat 10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
Mat 10:41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
Mat 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Mat 10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
Mat 10:41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
Mat 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
That's a good way to considered yourself. But due to sin, in which we are still affected by, denominations arose from disagreements in theology. The main thing is agreement on the main and plain things, the essential Christian doctrines and not the secondary issues. PS. Disagreements in the body of Christ is nothing new, read Acts 15:29, Barnabas and Paul got into it. Worship and the overall function of a local church goes smoother IMO, when even most agree with also with the secondary issues.
Without denominations we would have no way to amass power, influence and money. Think of all the political infighting that would be lost, all the lives that would not be ruined with hypocrisy. Think of all the money that would not be diverted to national and global purposes that are anti Christian. Can you imagine local churches choosing who will be their pastor without the meddling of a politically motivated board? How else could sodomites and women have a right to pastor a church? Hard to believe one could even ask so simple a question.
Denominations are the creation of man thus they are subject to corruption. Our Lord did not establish an organization on the earth, He established an organism, a living church on the earth.
For the cause of Christ
Roger
Denominations are the creation of man thus they are subject to corruption. Our Lord did not establish an organization on the earth, He established an organism, a living church on the earth.
For the cause of Christ
Roger
I don't understand why people loves to label others ( which it gives us the feeling as being marked); I guess that we need to distinguish ourselves from others so that we can feel important than others, I guess you can call that act, Pride. I believe people should be careful for what they had received.
Proverbs 16:18Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Revelation 14:9A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand,
One of the images of the beast is Pride ( Pride, hatred, selfish, and etc.. and which these are some of the things that you can recognizes the beast by his image ). We all should has known by now that God detests division among His children, but we are hard- headed, we don't like to listen. We all love the things of satan for he rule over us.
Proverbs 16:18Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Revelation 14:9A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand,
One of the images of the beast is Pride ( Pride, hatred, selfish, and etc.. and which these are some of the things that you can recognizes the beast by his image ). We all should has known by now that God detests division among His children, but we are hard- headed, we don't like to listen. We all love the things of satan for he rule over us.
I feel people who believe in their denomination and follow only that are missing lots of understanding of God. God is so beyond our complete comprehension that each must always search for Him, even though he is also simple for the youngest child to know.
I don't like to tell people the denomination of the church I go to. It makes them think of me as believing only what that denomination believes about God.
Actually, I am in a constant state of growth, as I study God's word and go to Him in listening prayer. I check the denomination I go to for their love of the Lord, and that they believe that sins are to be taken to Christ for forgiveness. After that, we can disagree about what we think God says, and we often do.
I don't like to tell people the denomination of the church I go to. It makes them think of me as believing only what that denomination believes about God.
Actually, I am in a constant state of growth, as I study God's word and go to Him in listening prayer. I check the denomination I go to for their love of the Lord, and that they believe that sins are to be taken to Christ for forgiveness. After that, we can disagree about what we think God says, and we often do.
I understand the need for denominations, but sometimes they corrupt the word and God's messages. We spend too much time discussing and bickering about which is better/correct, or which is God's denomination. If we (Christians) spent that time working together as one body, we would be so much more effective in spreading God's word. I think the discord between denominations makes God sad.
W
not quite --
before the Council of Jerusalem in 50 AD, there were disputes about the Law. Paul opposed "works of the Law", as being necessary for Salvation. Jews were wroth. In Rome, and Greece (Acts 17), these disputes led to riots, causing emperor Claudius to expel all Jews (including Jewish Christians) from Rome (Acts 18). Paul wrote Galatians, and James wrote James, about this time.
But, the Church convened the Council of Jerusalem; Bishop James of Jerusalem judged the dispute; and the whole Church obeyed his judgement. Thereafter, there did not remain "different denominations".
THE Church no longer has such singular authority -- today, there do remain different denominations.
Although, on second thought, "works righteousness" was a central issue, one the "main & plain" things as you said; perhaps different local Church branches always have had slightly different localized customs, which need not cause conflicts.
does it not seem, sometimes, as if people are want to disagree ?
before the Council of Jerusalem in 50 AD, there were disputes about the Law. Paul opposed "works of the Law", as being necessary for Salvation. Jews were wroth. In Rome, and Greece (Acts 17), these disputes led to riots, causing emperor Claudius to expel all Jews (including Jewish Christians) from Rome (Acts 18). Paul wrote Galatians, and James wrote James, about this time.
But, the Church convened the Council of Jerusalem; Bishop James of Jerusalem judged the dispute; and the whole Church obeyed his judgement. Thereafter, there did not remain "different denominations".
THE Church no longer has such singular authority -- today, there do remain different denominations.
Although, on second thought, "works righteousness" was a central issue, one the "main & plain" things as you said; perhaps different local Church branches always have had slightly different localized customs, which need not cause conflicts.
does it not seem, sometimes, as if people are want to disagree ?
J
I am denominational. Mostly because I don't ride the spiritual high horse of "oh look at me, I'm non-denominational" even though every non-denom church is a denomination unto itself. Typically non-denoms are dispensational and semi-pelagian. They are just as denominational as others who are more honest and up front about it. Non-denom churches are often loners, and outside of the discipline of the wider church. They're like Sarah Palin, goin' rogue.
I attend a Reformed Baptist church, and I stick to the reformed-ish crowd.
I attend a Reformed Baptist church, and I stick to the reformed-ish crowd.
